The Neo Elite is a 1064 nm Nd:YAG laser that delivers energy in 650-microsecond pulses, with no contact, no cooling gel and no numbing cream. It is FDA cleared for more than thirty indications and is safe across Fitzpatrick types I through VI.
It was the first laser brought into this practice, and that order was a decision rather than a coincidence.
What it treats
Everything this laser treats
Those six are what this laser is used for most often here. It treats a much wider range than that, and some of it is worth knowing about because people rarely think to ask.
Vascular
- Port wine stains, hemangiomas, telangiectasia, facial and leg veins, spider veins, venous lake
- Rosacea and persistent flushing
- Poikiloderma of Civatte, the mottled redness on the neck and chest
Pigment
- Age spots, sun spots, cafe au lait macules
- Chloasma and melasma
- Seborrheic keratoses, other keratoses, nevi
- Tattoos
Acne and follicular
- Mild to moderate inflammatory acne vulgaris
- Pseudofolliculitis barbae, the ingrown hairs and bumps that follow shaving, which disproportionately affects people with coarse or curly hair
Texture, scarring and skin conditions
- Scars, including the redness in hypertrophic and keloid scars
- Keloids and striae
- Psoriasis
- Eczema
- Periocular and perioral wrinkles
- Ulcers and slow-healing wounds
Other benign lesions
- Warts and verrucae, including periungual and plantar warts
- Skin tags
Nails
- Onychomycosis, nail fungus
- Periungual warts
Skin quality and tightening
- Skin tightening and overall rejuvenation
- Tone, texture and clarity
Hair
- Hair removal and permanent hair reduction, on all six Fitzpatrick types
What is right for you is decided at consultation, after examination.
Why the first laser here is a 1064 nm one
Most laser injury in deeper skin comes from wavelengths that melanin absorbs strongly. The epidermis competes with the intended target for the energy, and the result is a burn or a patch of hyperpigmentation.
At 1064 nm the Neo Elite sits at the longest wavelength in common aesthetic use and the one melanin absorbs least, which is why Nd:YAG is the platform most often chosen for Fitzpatrick types IV through VI. Aerolase pairs that wavelength with a 650-microsecond pulse, placed deliberately between the nanosecond and millisecond ranges, which limits thermal spread into surrounding tissue.
In practice that means treatment without contact, without cryogen or contact cooling, and without topical anesthetic. We wrote at length about what makes a laser appropriate for deeper skin tones, and about the limits of the Fitzpatrick scale itself.
IPL is never substituted for this treatment.
What a session is like
- Sensation
- Brief snaps and warmth. No numbing needed for most areas.
- Session length
- 20 to 45 minutes depending on the area.
- Course
- Typically 3 to 6 sessions, about 4 weeks apart.
- Downtime
- Mild redness and warmth for a day. No social downtime.
- Check-ins
- Day 3 and, if that is clear, Day 7.
- Performed by
- Dr. Mundluru.
Mild redness and warmth immediately afterwards is normal and expected. When treating vascular concerns you may see vessels darken briefly before they clear, which is the intended response rather than a problem.
Before, during and after
This is the protocol we actually follow. Open any of these to read it before booking, or again the week of your appointment.
Where it fits
Every treatment here begins with clinical imaging and a constitutional assessment, so the laser is prescribed against measurements rather than an impression. For pigmentation in particular, what happens between sessions matters as much as the sessions themselves.
Additional laser platforms are under evaluation for resurfacing and specific pigmentary concerns, held to the same requirement: demonstrated safety across all six Fitzpatrick types, not just the lighter three.
Common questions
Is Aerolase safe for dark skin?
Yes, and it is the reason this was the first laser brought into the practice. At 1064 nm it sits at the longest wavelength in common aesthetic use and the one melanin absorbs least, which is why Nd:YAG is the platform most often chosen for Fitzpatrick types IV through VI. It is FDA cleared for all six Fitzpatrick types. Preparation still matters more for deeper skin tones than for any other group, and the protocol for that is set out in full on this page.
Does it hurt?
Most people describe brief snaps and warmth rather than pain. There is no contact with the skin, no cooling gel and no numbing cream for most areas. A topical anesthetic can be applied 30 to 45 minutes beforehand for sensitive areas or higher energy settings.
How many sessions will I need?
Typically three to six, spaced about four weeks apart. For Fitzpatrick V and VI the interval is longer, at least five to six weeks, so inflammation resolves completely before retreating. The number depends on what is being treated and how your skin responds, and is reviewed as the course progresses.
What is the downtime?
Mild redness and warmth for about a day, peaking around four to six hours afterwards. No makeup on the area for 24 hours and no retinoids or acids for five days. Most people return to normal activity immediately, avoiding heat, hot showers, saunas and hard exercise for the first day.
Why do my spots look darker after treatment?
That is expected and it is called peppering. Treated pigment darkens before it sheds, usually over 7 to 14 days. Do not pick or exfoliate it, let it come away on its own. What is different, and worth telling us about, is new dark patches appearing after day seven in areas that were not treated.
Can I have this treatment if I am pregnant?
No. This treatment is not performed during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.
Do you use IPL instead?
No. IPL is never substituted for this treatment. IPL emits a broad spectrum of wavelengths, several of which are strongly absorbed by melanin, which is what makes it a poor choice for deeper skin tones.
This page is for general education and is not medical advice. It does not establish a physician-patient relationship, and it cannot account for your individual history, medications or skin. Suitability for treatment, including which topical agents are appropriate before and after a course, is decided at consultation following examination. Prescription agents named here are prescribed only where clinically appropriate.